When Daison Pursley won at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park in February of 2023, he was reintroducing himself to the racing world after a severe spinal cord injury briefly derailed both his life and career.

With a victory on Saturday night at Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway, the Locust Grove, Okla. racer introduced himself to the racing world as the legit deal, the genuine article, the real McCoy.

Whereas Pursley’s Volusia triumph nearly 16 months ago is technically listed as a non-points special event in the record books, there was no technicality in any form or fashion this time around. Pursley officially stamped his name as a certified points-paying USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car feature winner in what was his 54th career series start on Saturday night at Knoxville’s famed half-mile.

For his efforts at the Avanti Windows & Doors Corn Belt Clash, Pursley pocketed a $12,000 top prize and the distinction of becoming the first points-paying USAC National Sprint Car feature winning driver since Jadon Rogers in 2022 at Indiana’s Tri-State Speedway.

Yet, more than anything, Pursley completed a task that had been lingering in his mind for some time. After three consecutive third place results in his three most recent series starts, Pursley had grown tiresome of merely being in the hunt for a victory. He held a burning desire to finish the job up front, and finish with authority.

At the controls of his Team AZ Racing/Apache Transport – Oak Craft Elegant Cabinetry/DRC/1-Way Chevy, Pursley led the initial 12 laps before a wonky restart seemingly cost him dearly. Nonetheless, Pursley maintained his cool and capitalized late by tracking down race leader and fellow Okie Brady Bacon with nine laps remaining to earn the long-awaited and long-anticipated distinction.

“It’s huge,” Pursley reflected. “I feel like I’ve been super close so many times to finally winning a points-paying USAC race, and tonight, I was finally able to pull it off. I thought I gave it away once when I messed up on that restart and let Brady get underneath me. I thought it was over from there because Brady usually doesn’t make any mistakes. I’m just very, very fortunate to have a very fast racecar. I just didn’t give up there. I wanted to win really bad, and I think that showed here tonight.”

Daisoin Pursley reacts after winning USAC Sprints feature at Knoxville Saturday

USAC Sprints Results at Knoxville Saturday

1. Daison Pursley (1)

 2. Brady Bacon (6)

 3. Kevin Thomas Jr. (9)

 4. C.J. Leary (4)

5. Kyle Cummins (11)

 6. Justin Grant (5)

7. Robert Ballou (8)

8. Mitchel Moles (13)

9. Jake Swanson (2)

 10. J.J. Yeley (17)

11. Chase Johnson (15)

12. Matt Westfall (16)

13. Carson Garrett (3)

14. Chase Stockon (14)

15. Jadon Rogers (20)

16. Charles Davis Jr. (22)

17. Korbyn Hayslett (19)

18. Logan Calderwood (21)

19. Kobe Simpson (23)

20. Joey Amantea (12)

21. Logan Seavey (10)

22. Xavier Doney (7)

23. Wesley Smith (18)

24. Eric Schulz (24). NT